By the sea

The Cinque TerreRiomaggiore,Manarola,Corniglia,Vernazza and Monterosse del Mareis one of the most uncontaminated areas in the Mediterranean sea.Five miles of rocky Italian coast,thousands of kilometres of dry-laid stone walls,five villages lined up on stone spurs in minuscule creeks. Its said that nature and history have conspired to create this place. Its a virgin Mediterranean landscape and lifestyle,a mosaic of old houses in ceramic colours clinging to each other in a huddle on ancient rocks.The famous terraced slopes are a work of peasant engineering,they were used to create space to grow vines,olives and fruit; agriculture along with fishing is the mainstay of livelihood here. And of course,now there are the tourists. A few hundred come here each day.

Driving isnt permitted here,and travellers are encouraged to leave their cars behind at Riomaggiore. Each higgledy-piggledy village,with its network of tiny,crooked lanes and just one main road,is linked by a frequently running train. Since the villages are altogether just a few kilometres,this is also a famous trek for hikers. You can also take a boat around the coast,its a bit more expensive but very beautiful. Riomaggiore is also connected to Manarola by a footpath that hangs off a cliff overlooking the mint-blue sea,called Via dellAmore,or the Lovers Trail. I suspect its called so because you really need to cuddle with your co-traveler to traverse this,but the cacti with engraved lovers names tell of many romantic stories.

Riomaggiore,with just 2,000 denizens,is the biggest hamlet (Corniglia has just 500). High on a cliff are the remains of an old castle (il castello) built in the 13th century; a pretty piazza leads us to a church built in the 14th century,and a chapel thats so small,it can only seat eight. LEnoteca du Scinto is a very pretty wine shop where you can pick up locally grown pesto,olive oil,limoncino,Cinque Terres famous white wine and a dessert wine called Sciacchetra.
The main road,Via Colombo,has an assortment of cafes,bars,trattorias,gelateries and alimentari shops,or grocers,selling spices,fresh fruit and cold cuts.

Manarola is lined with pretty boats,inches away from the sea. There are many lovely places to eat and drink here. La Cantina dello Zio Bramante (The Canteen of Uncle Bramante) serves the best anchovies,something this area is well-known for. Aristide Café is the biggest and has the best view,but its filled with tourists,many of them loud Americans. I drag my friends to Ristorante Scogliera,a charming but busy ristorante advertising its tipica cucina. The platters on the table look fresh and delicious and we eat here. I order ravioli con pesto a casa and a vino bianco. While we wait,the patriarch-manager brings over a wheel of bread,local olive oil and balsamic. I ask for some garlic and dip the bread in this. It tastes like sunshine.

Corniglia is on the summit of a cliff. You have to climb 365 steps to reach it but once a year,you can see the entire coastline of Cinque Terre and the many boats on its protected marina. Stone houses and ancient doorways are typical here; they lead to a terrace that hangs over the sea where a grand horizon unfurls magically.

Vernazza is perhaps the most characteristic of the five hamlets. Its cobbled streets lead to a small beach and just off the pier here is a little swimming hole where my mates and I jumped off some algae-coated rocks into the blue. Scraped knees aside,the water was cool and overpowering. Vernazza is lively and boisterous with its noisy bars. It makes for a good place to have a night out. Monterosso reminds me of a mini Nice; its like a beach resort with a pebbled beach. It is the youngest of the villagesonly a little over a hundred years old.
At Cinque Terre,trying out different food is a must pesto (a Ligurian paste made of basil leaves,garlic and cheese); the tagliatelle (flat noodles,sardines,anchovies,mussels and cuttlefish,and the farinata,a chickpea foccaccia.
If what we eat tells us about the quality of our lives,Cinque Terre comes up aces with its respect for flavour,freshness and authenticity.

FAST FACTS
Getting there
The closest airports are Pisa,Genoa and Florence. Milan is a four-hour train ride to Genoa where one can hop on a local train. The Cinque Terre villages are also connected by Trenitalia trains and each village has a train station.
Regular trains from Genoa and La Spezia run frequently. At La Spezia,you can buy your passes (Euros 5) for Cinque Terre from the tourism office.
Best time to visit
Since Cinque Terre is between Liguria and Tuscany,two of the most beautiful and fecund areas in Italy,its sunny and crowded all year round,though rather sleepy from November to March. The best time is naturally when the Americans are not on holiday.
Accommodation
Tourism offices help,but the best way to find a roof is to ring a bell in any of the homes or pensioni which have a little board outside stating Cameri,or Rooms. You can get a decent overnight stay for as little as Euros 30.
Eating
Since these are fishing villages the seafood is arguably the finest youve ever eaten. But yes,each village is known for its favourite catch. History has it that Hitler wanted to move to Liguria and said there was no place in the world as beautiful and climate as clement. The food,even now,reflects that.
Shopping
As much of Italy,everything is handmade and locally grown. Alimentari (grocers) have homegrown spice mixes,wines,extra virgin olive oils,limoncino and grappa and artisanal bath products. Tuscan-style ceramics are very popular though not cheap. Do not miss a delightful store I Gatto Di Riomaggiore,that makes horseshoes in the shape of catsI gatti. These are signs of Cinque Terre and Italy,they even enjoy legal rights in Rome.